UPI en Español  |   UPI Asia  |   About UPI  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Burglary suspect: 'Crime pays'

|
 
Published: April 7, 2011 at 3:32 PM

KEY HAVEN, Fla., April 7 (UPI) -- Authorities in the Florida Keys said they arrested an 18-year-old burglar who posted "crime pays" to his Facebook page.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said a husband and wife who are both Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reported their Department of Homeland Security vehicles had been burglarized late March 16 or early March 17 and the culprit took a digital camera from one car and a badge, gun belt, handcuffs, baton, pepper spray, bullet proof vest and a wallet from the other.

Investigators said they found a credit card from the stolen wallet was used for a March 17 PayPal transaction and they traced the computer used to make the payment to the Key Haven home where Ryan Tomita, 18, lives with his parents.

Detectives said they checked Tomita's Facebook page and found a posting from March 17 reading, "If you ask me Ima tell you crime pays."

Deputies searched the home April 5 and discovered the stolen property from the ICE agents' vehicles as well as a cache of stolen property from numerous other burglaries. Tomita admitted to multiple burglaries of unlocked cars and using screwdrivers to break into homes.

Tomita was arrested and charged with three counts of vehicle burglary and one count each of theft, theft of law enforcement equipment from an emergency vehicle, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Investigators said more charges are likely as the investigation continues.

© 2011 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
'Star Trek Into Darkness' screening NBC upfronts Met Ball 2013
'Great Gatsby' premieres in New York Spire raised on top of One WTC 2013: Celebrity break ups and divorces
Additional Odd News Stories
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
1 of 18
Iranians celebrate the qualification of  their soccer team  for 2014 World Cup
View Caption
Iranian women flash the victory sign during a street celebration in Tehran, Iran on June 18, 2013. The Iranian national soccer team defeated South Korea in their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match in Ulsan, South Korea. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian .
fark
A brazilian Brazilians wax angry at their government. Government said to be in a hairy situation....
It's summertime, so please remember your dog is at risk of dying of heat stroke if you leave it...
Google files First Amendment suit against NSA for the right to disclose information about NSA spy...
Climate talks change from curbing CO2 to old adage: If you can't stop it, get ready for it
Des Moines, Iowa is the perfect town for liberal arts graduates
"And I have never in my life smelled anything like what we've been smelling here the last three...